The invention relates to a fence post accessory which is useful as a step (sometimes called a xe2x80x9cstilexe2x80x9d) for climbing over a fence when secured to a fence post.
Individuals, such as farmers, ranchers, inspectors, hunters, surveyors, and game rangers, frequently find it necessary to climb over a fence, most commonly of the type comprising multiple T-posts and barbed wire. Climbing over such a fence, or attempting to crawl under or through the fence, can result in torn clothing, personal injury, and/or damage to the fence.
Permanently installed fence stiles, for use in safely climbing over a fence, can be costly and have the obvious disadvantage of not being portable for use at other locations. Portable fence stiles have been developed with some success. However, prior portable fence stiles have either been undesirably bulky or not useable on all T-posts.
It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide an accessory for a fence post which is useable as a stile on virtually any T-post, and which is compact and lightweight for optimum portability.
The above object is realized by an accessory for a fence post having a longitudinal axis, comprising: a first bar having a central portion and a longitudinal axis; a second bar having a central portion and a longitudinal axis; a connecting means for fixedly but removably connecting the first and second bars together in a secure and fixed relationship to the fence post such that the longitudinal axes of the bars are substantially parallel to one another but substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the fence post, a portion of the fence post being received between the respective central portions of the first and second bars.
According to a preferred embodiment hereafter described, the central portions of the first and second bars are bent so as to define an elongated opening in which a portion of a T-post can be received. The T-post can be of the new light gauge design or the older but still widely used heavier gauge design. Bolts and nuts can be used to connect the first and second bars together in a secure and fixed relationship to either of these types of T-posts. The first and second bars can be less than one foot long and made of aluminum. A fence post accessory of such construction is compact and lightweight so as to be highly portable, yet is still sufficiently large and sturdy to function as an effective fence stile.